Loading device for coal mines



J. DAWSON LOADING DEVICE FOR COAL MINES Fiied March 26, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I. /0h/Z I V .[Pflawson Feb. 10, 1925.

- V "1,525, 54 J. P. DAWSON v vLOADING-DEVICE FOR COAL MINES Filed March 26, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q Jnownioz i Damon Patented Feb. 19, 1925.

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S1 ares- JOSEPH POWER DAWSON, OF CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA...

LOADING DEVICE FOR COAL MINES.

Application filed March 26, 1924.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osnrrr Pownr. DawsoN, residing at Charleston, in the county of Kanawha and State of lVest Virginia, and a citizen of the United States, have invented certain. new and useful Improvements in Loading Devices for Coal Mines, of which the following is a specification, reference be' ing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to loading devices for coal mines and has for its object to pro vide a movable power operated device for use within the mine itself to load coal previously shot down or loosened into a mine car. Another object of the invention is to provide a loading device particularly adapted to the method of mining in which a long kerf is first out along one side of the body of coal and the coal along the kerf so cut is shot or knocked loose. A further object is to provide a loading device which may be set up and operated with a minimum of difiiculty and may readily be moved about in the mine. A further object of the invention is to provide a loading device which may be drawn forward as the coal is loaded.

lVith these objects and other objects hereinafter set forth in view, my invention consists in the construction and combination of elements hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the interior of a mine showing the device in operation;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the loading device along the line 83 of Figure 1;

Figure l: is a. side view of the conveyor part of the loading device with a side support removed;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the conveyor part of the loading device and shows a driving mechanism;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the loading device as shown in Figure'l, and shows means for deflecting the coal in the desired direction;

And Figure- 7 is a sectional view of the loading device along the line 33 of Figure 1 and shows a modified form of plow from that shown in Figure In the drawings, 1 indicates the loading device which rests on the floor 2 of the coal mine. The conveyor 3 of the loading device 1 projects over the mine CIMS 4 which run on the track 51 In order to hold the load- Serial No. 702,105.

ing device 1 in its proper position, a heavy rail 6, which may be a straight wooden beam, rests on the mine floor 2 and is braced in position by the cross beams 7 bearing against posts 8 set in the mine floor 2 or other fixed bearing means. The beams 7 may be placed beneath or above .the track 5, and wedges 9 may be used to force the beams T tightly against the rail 6. The rail or beam 6 should be of sufiicient height or carry guides so that the coal may not be-crowded outside as the loading device moves along.

-The loading device 1. consistsessentially of the plow 10 adapted when drawn against a pile of loosened coal 11 to topple and'el'evate this coal onto the conveyor 8 by which it is dropped into the mine cars l. It is important that the plow or means attached thereto be so designed. that thecoal may be toppled and loosened to facilitate its being moved onto and handled by the conveyor; The loading device 1 is adapted to be pulled along the rail 6 and into the loosened coal 11 by either one orv both of the chains or cables 12 and Either or both of the cables 12 and 13 may be attached to a power Windlass at the end remote from loading device 1, or the cables may he acted upon by a power windlass mounted on the loading'device l and the remote ends of the cables attached to fixed points.

If the cable 12 attached to the tip 1% of theplow 10 is used, this cable should be placed in position before the coal-is loosened or shot down. In the. common method of mining to which my device is adapted, a kerf of considerable length is cut in the wall of coal before this coal is loosened, thus the placing of the cable 12 in position causes no difficulty. The cable 13, which is shown attached to the loading device 1 atthe point 15 near the guide rail 6, may be placedin position either before or after the coal- 11 is loosened. i

The plow 10 is' adapted to slide along on the mine floor 2. Secured to oneside of the plow l0 isa beam 16 which carries rollers 17, this beam 16 and the rollers-17 beingarranged to hold and guide the plow 10. A brace beam18 is fastened near one corner of the plow 10 and to the beam 16 by means of the bolt 19. The: conveyor 3 is supported with its lower portionwithin the plow 10, while its upper portion is supported between the side frames 20 and21. Theside frames 20 and 21 may extend upwardjjabove the sur face of the conveyor itself and thus serve to keep the coal from slipping off at the sides of the conveyor. Vertical guides and 23 are preferably provided at the sides of the plow 10 in order to prevent coal from sliding off at the sides of the plow as it is drawn along. An inclined plate 24 is also mounted on the plow 10 and serves to catch and guide onto the conveyor such coal as may be knocked down from the mine roof The plow 10, as shown in detail in Figure 3, comprises a base or bottom 26 adapted to rest and slide upon the pavement as the plow is drawn along. From the forward tip edge of the plow, an inclined plate 27 extends rearward and upward a substantial distance so that coal can be elevated to the surface of the conveyor 3. From the rear edge of the plate 27 and at an angle thereto, a plate 28 extends rearward and downward towards the conveyor. As the plow is drawn forward, the forward edge of the plow enters beneath the knocked down coal. and, as the inclined plate is drawn under it, the coal is lifted, and as the rear edge of the plate 27 comes under the coal, most of it will drop down the plate 28 onto the conveyor and the remainder will be crowded over onto the conveyor. The relatively sharp angle between the plate 27 and the plate 28 where, as is usual, the coal is in relatively large lumps, will tend to cause the coal, as this angle or ridge comes beneath it, to tip or incline rearward away from the main part of the coal and to thus loosen the coal and decrease the resistance which the body of the coal affords to the progress of the plow. Any coal which falls rearward beyond the rear edge of the conveyor will fall on the inclined plate 24 and be directed forward onto the conveyor.

In Figure 7 is shown an alternative form of plow 10' which may be preferable to the plow 10 shown in Figure 3. From the forward tip edge of the plow 10, the plow surface 51 extends upward and rearward to the ridge 52, then downward to form the depression 53, and again upward at 54 to a height sufficient to permit the coal being shoved or dropped onto the conveyor. It will be noticed that the coal will be loosened and spread by being forced to topple over the ridge 52. It should be understood that I do not wish to limit myself to the exact positions shown of the ridge or wedge for toppling the coal.

The plates which form the face or coal supporting means of the conveyor are carried by chains 29 which are guided by the sprockets 30, 31 and 32.

In Figures 4 and 5 is shown an electric motor acting through suitable worm gearing to drive the conveyor 3. The electric motor 36 carries on its shaft 37 the Worms .38 and 39 which drive the worm gears 40 and 41 which are mounted on the shafts 34 and 33 respectively. Thus the motor 36 drives the shafts 34 and 33 which drive the sprockets 31 and 30 thereby moving the conveyor. The sprocket shafts 33, 34 and 35 rotate in bearings in the side supports 20 and 21 of the loading devi e. I do not wish to restrict myself to the means shown for operating the conveyor, as any usual means may be employed.

In Figure 6 is shown a deflector 43 which may be attached to the side frame of the conveyor. This deflector may be used to direct the coal so that it will fall into the proper parts of the mine cars 4. The deflector 43 .is hinged on a pin 44 attached to the side frame 20 and is held in position by the arm 45 which may have holes 47 to fit over the pin 46 in order to permit adjustment. In Figure 6, the lines 48, 49 and 50 represent the highest portions of the plow 10. It will be noticed in all of the views that the plates forming the plow surface project out over the edges of the conveyor surface 3 so as to direct the coal, though this feature is not a necessary part of the invention. The side frame 21 is shown cut away at 42 (Figures 6 and 4) to permit the deflection of the coal.

t should be understood that the angle that the plow and conveyor make with the guide beam 6 may be altered to suit the requirements of any particular mine. Also, other deflectors than 43 shown may be used to deflect the coal in any desired way. If desired, a second conveyor of any usual construction may be used in connection with my loading device when the distance between the coal to be loaded and the mine cars is too great for my device alone.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In means for loading coal in a mine, a plow adapted to be forced under a body of loosened coal and having an inclined plate extending upwardly and rearwardly from its forward edge, a ridge formed in said inclined plate and adapted to wedge apart and further loosen the loosened coal so that its movement is facilitated, means for drawing the plow forward beneath the coal, and a conveyor movable in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the plow and having its upper face in position to receive the coal sliding over the plow surface as the plow is drawn beneath the loosened coal. 7

2. In means for loading coal in a mine, a plow adapted to be forced under a body of loosened coal and having an inclined plate extending upwardly and rearwardly from its forward edge, a ridge and depression formed in said inclined plate and'adapted to wedge apart and further loosen the loosened. coal so that its movement is facililllt) tated, means for drawing the plow forward beneath the coal, and a conveyor movable in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the plow and having its upper face in position to receive the coal sliding over the plow surface as the plow is drawn beneath the loosened coal.

3. In means for loading coal in a mine, a plow adapted to be forced under a body of loosened coal and having an inclined plate extending upwardly and rearwardly from its forward edge, a. ridge formed in said inclined plate and adapted to wedge apart and further loosen the loosened coal so that its movement is facilitated, means for drawing the plow forward beneath the coal, a conveyor, movable in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the plow and having its upper face in position to receive the coal sliding over the plow surface as the plow is drawn beneath the loosened coal, and a guard plate arranged along the rear edge of the conveyor extending upwardly and rearwardly to deflect coal forward onto the conveyor.

l. In means for loading coal in a mine, a plow adapted to be moved under a body of knocked down coal to lift it and direct it onto a conveyor, having its forward edge extending from its inside outward and rearward, a guide beam extending along the body of coal and securely held against outward movement, rollers carried by the plow adapted to bear against the guide beam, and means for drawing the plow forward.

5. In means for loading coal in a mine, a plow adapted to be moved under a body of loosened coal to lift it and direct it onto a conveyor, having its forward edge extending from its inside outward and rearward, a guide beam extending along the body of coal and securely held against outward movement, rollers carried by the plow adapted to bear against the guide beam, means for drawing the plow forward, and a conveyor having its inner forward end extending across the plow at a level adapted to receive coal therefrom and having its outer rear end inclined upward to carry the coal above a car.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

JOSEPH POVVER DAWVSON. 

